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Interview Technique/Questions
- Thread starter Ninja Elephant
- Start date
smeariestbat
New member
- May 5, 2012
- 1,731
i remember a job interview i went to for east sussex fire and rescue,about 10 years ago. Was my first 'real' interview and was completely bricking it beforehand. Went into this huge room with a massive table and sat down opposite THREE people! I was completely overwhelmed, ballsed the interview and didnt get the job. Got some bloody valuable interview experience though, next job i went for, also in the public service industry, aced the interview, got the job. even had a chat with one of the blokes for about 45 minutes after the interview 'officially' ended talking about rugby. Told me during that time not to worry as i interviewed really well. that was nice 
However, what i will say and i dont know if it was just this particular interview technique they were using, but i used the STAR approach as mentioned above to construct my answers to the interview questions. (having done research into interviews since my previously dismal effort) Thus answering the question fully with the first go. however, they would then ask follow up questions such as 'what was your task during this activity' 'what were the results' etc, so i just repeated what i had said in my initial answer, obviously sounding rather puzzled as i felt i had already answered the question and had nothing more to add!
well by the third time this happened they stopped the interview to apologise as i was obviously confused, and they explained this was protocal they had to follow to allow each candidate to answer the question appropriately and fully as some people arent able to come up with a complete and full answer without prompt.
However, what i will say and i dont know if it was just this particular interview technique they were using, but i used the STAR approach as mentioned above to construct my answers to the interview questions. (having done research into interviews since my previously dismal effort) Thus answering the question fully with the first go. however, they would then ask follow up questions such as 'what was your task during this activity' 'what were the results' etc, so i just repeated what i had said in my initial answer, obviously sounding rather puzzled as i felt i had already answered the question and had nothing more to add!
well by the third time this happened they stopped the interview to apologise as i was obviously confused, and they explained this was protocal they had to follow to allow each candidate to answer the question appropriately and fully as some people arent able to come up with a complete and full answer without prompt.
Shropshire Seagull
Well-known member
I work in a stressed and technical environment - I like this one ....
I want you to tell me how many degrees there are between the two hands on a clock when the time is showing 10 past 10.
I require you to explain your workings out loud as you go.
If you stop talking, I shall assume you have stopped thinking.
Begin.
I want you to tell me how many degrees there are between the two hands on a clock when the time is showing 10 past 10.
I require you to explain your workings out loud as you go.
If you stop talking, I shall assume you have stopped thinking.
Begin.
smeariestbat
New member
- May 5, 2012
- 1,731
120 degrees. no working out, thats. the answer x
Can't be 120, the little hand will be 1/6 past the 10 and with the big hand on the 2 this will be 110. 60 from 12-2 and 60 from 10-12 less 1/6 (10).
CP 0 3 BHA
Well-known member
Recently my under-grad daughter went for an interview against dozens for a paid internship in the nuclear medicine dept of a leading hospital.
Rather than trying to appear clever with her opportunity to ask questions at the end she simply said to the three interviewers "What do you enjoy most about your job". All three became animated and engaged and really thought about their answers.
She got the job.
Rather than trying to appear clever with her opportunity to ask questions at the end she simply said to the three interviewers "What do you enjoy most about your job". All three became animated and engaged and really thought about their answers.
She got the job.
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
One of the toughest interview problems I was ever posed, designed to test your ability to think things through logically, was:
You have everything you need to make a cup of tea. You don't have a kettle, but you do have a saucepan, water, matches, and a gas ring.
You also have an alien who has no concept at all of what any of these things are (but is curiously able to understand perfect English, but hey! there you go).
Now you have to tell the alien in clear step-by-step fashion how to make himself a cup of tea....
Like everyone else does apparently, I did pretty well, but left the gas on at the end and so burnt the house down...
You have everything you need to make a cup of tea. You don't have a kettle, but you do have a saucepan, water, matches, and a gas ring.
You also have an alien who has no concept at all of what any of these things are (but is curiously able to understand perfect English, but hey! there you go).
Now you have to tell the alien in clear step-by-step fashion how to make himself a cup of tea....
Like everyone else does apparently, I did pretty well, but left the gas on at the end and so burnt the house down...
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
On the other hand, the easist interview I ever had consisted of two questions:
1) Do you play golf?
2) when can you start?
I got the job, largely on the grounds that a) they were desperate, and b) my answer to 2) was 'tomorrow'...
(I did answer yes to Q1, but not sure how it would have counted against me if I'd said no...)
1) Do you play golf?
2) when can you start?
I got the job, largely on the grounds that a) they were desperate, and b) my answer to 2) was 'tomorrow'...
(I did answer yes to Q1, but not sure how it would have counted against me if I'd said no...)
nwgull
Well-known member
I do interviews and the main criteria is technical ability; personality is important but secondary. There are usually one or two things on a person's CV - either real work experience or qualifications - that will have made us want to interview them in the first place. We'll normally question them about this aspect to see how much they really know, and whether or not their CV has exaggerated their experience and/or qualifications.
GingerBeerMan
3-0
- Dec 29, 2011
- 8,029
Tricky Dicky
New member
Indeed, I just get bombard with C++ technical questions - usually obscure stuff that no-one actually uses.
I had a similar situation to this one except someone burst into the room with an angry rant so the interviewer could see how I reacted, amazingly I did get the job but it was a bit disconcerting at the time. I think the Americans have got a word for this type of thing but can't remember it. I was told much later that one woman broke down and one guy actually walked out at the same interview.
Kumquat
New member
- Mar 2, 2009
- 4,459
I once got asked what my biggest weakness was and I said drinking. I added that I tended to drink heavily in lunchbreaks, after work and when I got up. Generally, whenever I wasn't working. I got the job and I've been driver for the Al-Fayed family ever since.
Kumquat
New member
- Mar 2, 2009
- 4,459
Were you applying for a job as a retired sportsman?
JTR938
New member
- Nov 24, 2012
- 631
I had this oce, Told the guy to stick it! and walked out.
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
My boss was a golf freak. Fortunately I never had to challenge him, as our ideas of 'playing' golf differed somewhat. He played off scratch, whereas I was happy not to lose more than 3 balls in any round and to get through 18 holes in under 110.
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
One reason I'm a freelancer. Not been for an interview in more than a decade.
One of the best (and therefore probably made up) stories about interviews I ever heard was of a candidate who enters the office to find the interviewer engrossed in a newspaper. Without looking up, the interviewer says: "Impress me."
So the candidate takes out a lighter and sets fire to the paper...
I don't know if he got the job.
mistahclarke
Well-known member
- Jul 28, 2009
- 2,997
I'd say "why, it's your pen already?"
that's a sales job question. I had it once, along with "tell me a joke" and "sing me a song". Should have been a warning sign to not work for the worst company ever.
Less 1/6 of 30 not 60. Answer 115